Balto

Balto is a 1995 animated film loosely based on the true story of the eponymous dog who helped save children infected with diphtheria in the 1925 serum run to Nome. Although it was a financial disappointment, the film was successful on home video when it reached VHS, which led to it being followed by two direct-to-video sequels Balto II: Wolf Quest and Balto III: Wings of Change.

Directed by Simon Wells. Written by David Cohen, Cliff Ruby, Elana Lesser and Roger S.H. Schulman.

His story became a legend. His adventure is one you'll never forget.

Balto

• Gloomy? You kiddin'? It's the most beautiful spot in the world. Dogs travel for years just to be right here.
• You two guys oughta learn how to swim someday. You'd be very good at it.

Boris

• Not a dog. Not a wolf. All he knows is what he's not. If only he could see what he is.
• He has point, bears. You are not drowning because; if you had thought for a moment you will observe, perhaps: TIDE IS OUT!
• He's going into freezing coldness to find the dog he doesn't like and bring medicine back to a town that doesn't like him! OH NO! I'm beginning to understand the bear!
• Let me tell you something, Balto. A dog can not make this journey alone, but maybe a wolf can.

Jenna

• I’m afraid the only way Steele notices anyone is if they're wearing a mirror.
• (seductive laugh) Gee, Steele, I have to admit, your offer is... very tempting... But these days I prefer my meat... cooked.

Steele

• Get outta here, Wolfdog! You better get back to your pack!
• You’re... a hundred percent right, Jenna. I wasn’t thinking about those children. The important thing here is to get the medicine through, and that’s just what I’m gonna do. [to Balto] And when I get back, I’m gonna fold you five ways... and leave you for a cat toy!
• Go ahead, wolf-dog! You'll never get home! I'll make sure of that.

Dialogue

Steele: Okay. Nikki, Kaltag, Star, get moving. We’re strapping up.

Balto: Hey, now, just a second here, Steele. I was the fastest dog.

Steele: [twitches his eye in anger] You were the fastest... what? [Balto stares angrily at him] Do you honestly think any musher would ever put you on his team? You’re even more mixed up than I thought!

Jenna: [defending Balto] Steele! I doesn’t matter who’s on the team! So long as the medicine gets through, stop being such a Gloryhound!

Steele: [semi-apologetically] You’re... a hundred percent right, Jenna. I wasn’t thinking about those children. The important thing here is to get the medicine through, and that’s just what I’m gonna do. [to Balto] And when I get back, I’m gonna fold you five ways... and leave you for a cat toy!

---

Boris: Balto, please! Don’t go crazy on me now! [falls through the snow. Balto keeps walking, not taking his eyes off in front of him. Boris climbs onto a vent pipe.] This is foolishness! You will die like a dog! Oh, uuh, no offense.

[Boris falls through an opening in the pipe. On the ark, Muk and Luk smile at each other as they hear Boris and Balto nearby. Boris gets spit out of the pipe.]

Boris: You will be frozen stiff by morning! When you are big, frozen, stiff statue named “Balto”, don’t come running to me! [Muk and Luk slide on the ice and crash into Boris] WHOA!

Muk: He says--

Boris: Where is he going? He's going into freezing coldness to find the dog he doesn't like and bring medicine back to a town that doesn't like him! OH NO! I'm beginning to understand the bear!

[Muk and Luk clap happily and push him forward. Balto takes Boris in his mouth and drags him to the hospital window.]

Boris: No brains at all! Might as well be talking to hu...mans...

[Boris sees Rosie through the window, who's in terrible shape, panting and coughing on the bed. This causes Boris to change his mind.]

Boris: [leaves] So, let’s go get the medicine.

Balto: Wait a minute. Now you’re coming?

Boris: Spending days in bitter cold, facing wild animals, risking death from exposure! [chuckles] It’s like holiday in old country.

Muk: Great, we’re goin’ on ’oliday.

---

Boris: [watching Balto scratch a tree] Good work, Balto. You took on the biggest, meanest tree in whole forest, and you won.

Balto: I'm marking the trail.

Muk: [to Luk] He's marking our trail. That's very clever.

Boris: And here I was leaving bread crumbs.

---

Balto: [picks up a branch] Muk, you and Luk carry Jenna back to town on this.

Boris: [sternly] And this time, don't take time out for a swim! [laughs]

Balto: [to Boris] You can make sure of that, Boris. You're gonna lead them home. Just follow my marks.

Jenna: You're going alone?

Balto: Won't be the first time.

Jenna: [removes her bandanna and puts it on Balto's neck] Here. Afraid it won't keep you very warm.

Balto: Yeah, it will.

[Balto and Jenna nuzzle. Luk starts crying]

Muk: Well, of course Balto will come back. He's Balto, isn't he?

Balto: Hey! I'm coming back with the medicine. I promise, Jenna. [to Muk and Luk] Go ahead, guys. Take her home. [turns to continue walking]

Boris: [stops Balto] Balto, I do not like leaving you out here alone. Who's going to tell you how cold you are?

Balto: [sternly] Boris. [shoves Boris to look at the others] They need you even more than I do.

Boris: Let me tell you something, Balto. A dog cannot make this journey alone. [pauses, then drops his voice to a whisper] But... maybe a wolf can. [Balto grimaces. Boris turns to Muk and Luk] You two balls of fluff! Let's move! [leads them back] Hey! Two, three, four!

[Balto watches as Boris, Muk and Luk carry Jenna back, then continues to walk by himself. The sound of a telegraph wire beeping is heard. The scene changes to the telegraph office]

Telegraph operator: [translating a message] Nome. Stop. Cannot ship more antitoxin. Stop. Weather too severe. Stop. Lost sled team only hope. Stop. Our prayers are with them. Anchorage. Stop. [Morris sadly listens to the message from under the table]

[The scene cuts back to Balto still walking through the forest alone that evening]

Balto: [begins to get Steele in his scent] Steele.

[Balto continues further, until he gets to the icy hill overlooking the team. Balto descends the hill and reaches the team. Nikki, Kaltag and Star are surprised to see him]

Star: Balto!

Nikki: Is that Balto?

Kaltag: Balto, how did you find us?!

Balto: Is anyone hurt?

Steele: [angrily enunciating] Everyone. Is. Fine.

Star: Yeah, but our musher hit his head! And he didn't get up.

Sled dog: And he's not movin'.

Balto: [picks up the sled harness] Alright, follow me. I can lead you home.

Steele: [stops him, hostilely] We don't need your help!

Star: [nervously] M-maybe we should listen to him. [Steele growls at him and he ducks for cover in fear]

Nikki: How would youse get us home?

Balto: [cautiously] Well, I...I marked a trail, like this. [scratches bark off a tree to show them]

Steele: [knocks the tree down and confronts him] I'll get us back. I'm the lead dog! I'm in charge!

Balto: But... Then, let me take back the medicine. They're getting sicker.

Steele: [jumps between Balto and the sled] Touch that box, and I'll tear you apart.

Nikki: [betting with Kaltag] Two bones says Steele takes him.

Kaltag: Ha! You're on.

Balto: [firmly] Steele, I'm not leaving without that medicine.

Steele: [angrily pushes him away] Who do you think you are?

Nikki: Hey, this is gonna be good. [chuckles]

Balto: [trying to reason with Steele] Since...since when do you need a pedigree to help someone? [moves toward the sled, but Steele blocks his way again] Steele, let me help you.

Nikki: [off-camera] Look at his eyes!

[Balto tries again, but Steele knocks him away]

Kaltag: Oh, he'll feel that tomorrow.

Nikki: I think he's feeling it now!

Kaltag: Ouch!

Balto: I don't want to fight. [goes for the sled a fourth time, but Steele stops him again, this time biting him and brutally throwing him aside. Nikki and Kaltag are now shocked]

Kaltag: Whoa, that can't be legal!

Nikki: Yeah!

[Balto, undeterred, tries to get the medicine again, but Steele still won't let him; this time, he knocks the sled over]

Nikki: Hey! That stuff is fragile, there!

Star: What's with Steele? All Balto wants to do is help.

[Steele viciously throws Balto against a rock. Balto becomes motionless. Steele lets out an evil laugh. The team looks on with worry]

Star: Ah, look!

[The dogs notice Balto getting back up. Steele grabs Jenna's bandanna around Balto's neck, but ends up pulling it off, falls over the cliff behind him as Balto watches on. The team straightens the sled back up and load the unconscious musher back onto the sled. Balto nudges him]

Musher: [groaning and not waking up] Good boy.

[All the dogs hitch themselves back up. As Balto walks over to the dogs, Star, with a huge smile, holds the harness out to him. Balto hesitates. Star holds it slightly higher, as if encouraging Balto. Balto steps into it and looks at it with amazement]

Balto: Mush!

[Balto and the team set off. Steele makes his way back up the cliff to find the team having already left]

Steele: Go ahead, wolf-dog! You'll never get home! I'll make sure of that. I'll show 'em. [marks every tree in the forest] Why not this way? How about over here? Oops! Wrong way! [gives off a sinister cackle]

[Balto and the team are hiking through the forest, when Balto stops, looking at the marked trees and detecting Steele's scent on some of them]

Balto: Oh, no.

Star: Which way, Balto? Which way? Which way?

Balto: [looks around desperately] Uh... this way. [continues to lead the team through the forest, but sees Steele's fake markings on every tree] No, it can't be! [stops, and the other dogs pile behind him]

Kaltag: Why are you taking us in circles?

Balto: I'm not! I mean, I don't know. [gesturing to the marked trees] It's Steele.

Nikki: [referring to Steele; beginning to have doubts] Maybe we was better off with him there.

Balto: [panicking] No! Come on! Mush! [frantically begins running too fast]

Star: Whooooa! Balto, slow down! Please!

---

Steele: Of course, as you know, I swam and I swam. It was freezing cold. And finally, I said "Steele, you just have to gnaw your way to the surface," so I- [hears Balto howling outside] What?

Doc: [looks out the window] It's Balto with the medicine! [runs outside]

Dixie: Oh, Steele, you are positively dis... [enraged] posable! [slaps Steele across the face]

[All the dogs growl angrily at Steele and storm out on him]

Steele: [humiliated] Okay, okay, I can explain. You guys weren't there, so... Wait a minute, guys. Wait just a second, please...?

Town dog: [angrily] GET LOST!

[The door slams in Steele's face]

---

[last lines]

Balto: Jenna! [runs over to play with Jenna. They chase each other around, and then touch noses. After nuzzling, they smile lovingly at each other, then turn and look out upon the crowd of cheering humans and dogs]

Star: Way to go, Balto!

Kaltag: He has the most endurance, the most fidelity, the most intelligence-

Star: They should build a statue of him!

Kaltag: [immediately elbows Star as if to hit him again. Star cringes] You said it!

Star: [looks up, surprised] I did? [Kaltag smiles at him, and so does Nikki]

[The screen shows an overhead shot of the humans and dogs congratulating Balto, before panning up to the night sky, where the Northern Lights are shining. They form the silhouette of a wolf, which howls. The silhouette then morphs into Blaze, shifting the film back to live-action. The elderly woman and her granddaughter have finally reached Balto's memorial]

Rosy's granddaughter: This is it, Grandma! Blaze found it.

Grandma Rosy: What does it say?

Rosy's granddaughter: "Dedicated to the... indomable?"

Grandma Rosy: "Indomitable."

Rosy's granddaughter: "Indomitable spirit of the sled dogs."

Grandma Rosy: "That relayed antitoxin 600 miles from Nenana to the relief of stricken Nome... in the winter of 1925."

Rosy's granddaughter: "Endurance, fidelity, intelligence." Balto really did do all that, didn't he, Grandma?

Grandma Rosy: Oh, yes, sweetheart. He really did. [places a musher's hat on her granddaughter's head] And today, they run the Iditarod Dog Race over the very path he and the others took.

Rosy's granddaughter: Can Blaze do that too, Grandma? [Blaze briefly looks up, before dropping his head again]

Grandma Rosy: Maybe. With practice. [Blaze proceeds to bark] A lot of practice. [laughs]

Rosy's granddaughter: [walks Blaze away] Come on, Blaze. Come on! Mush!

[The elderly woman happily watches her granddaughter walk off, then gazes up at the statue with a contented sigh]

Grandma Rosy: Thank you, Balto. I would've been lost without you.

Rosy's granddaughter: Grandma Rosy! Grandma Rosy, come on!

[Grandma Rosy pleasantly walks off to join her granddaughter. The intro to "Reach for the Light" by Steve Winwood begins to play as Balto's statue stands proudly in the sunlight]

Taglines

• His story became a legend. His adventure is one you'll never forget.

See also

• Balto II: Wolf Quest
• Balto III: Wings of Change

External links

• Balto quotes at the Internet Movie Database
• Balto at Rotten Tomatoes